Understanding how to list processes in Linux is fundamental for any system administrator or an advanced user. This blog post provides an in-depth guide on the various commands you can use to list processes in Linux, how to format their output as HTML, and even how to kill processes if necessary.
Using the ps command
The ps command is a traditional tool that displays the currently-running processes. To list all the processes on your system, use the following command:
ps aux
Using the top command
The top command provides a live running view of the system, displaying the currently active processes and system stats. To use it, simply type:
top
Using the pstree command
The pstree command displays the processes in a tree-like diagram, showing their dependencies. It is useful for understanding the parent-child relationships between processes. Use it as follows:
pstree
Formatting the output as HTML
To format the output of these commands as HTML, you can use unix2dos or a2ps. Here is an example with a2ps:
ps aux | a2ps -E -B -1 -R --delegate=no -o - | ps2pdf - > output.html
This command takes the output from ps, formats it with a2ps, and then converts it to an HTML file using ps2pdf.
Killing Processes
If you need to stop a process, you can do so with the kill command followed by the process ID (PID). You can find the PID by listing the processes as shown above. Here’s an example:
kill -9 [PID]
Conclusion
There you have it, a comprehensive guide on how to list processes in Linux, format their output as HTML, and kill processes if necessary. By mastering these commands, you’re well on your way to becoming proficient in Linux system administration.
Stay tuned for more informative articles on Linux and system administration!